Public Monument and Sculpture Association National Recording Project
Leicestershire South African War Memorial Photograph
Region ID | EM | |
Work ID | 1 | |
Manual Reference | LE002TC | |
Type | Sculpture | |
Title | Leicestershire South African War Memorial | |
Sculptor | McClure, Joseph Crosland | |
Architect | Everard, John Breedon | |
Foundry | Singers, *** | |
Foundry | Collins & Co, *** | |
Date of design | (I) 1903-1908 (aborted); (ii) 1908-1909 | |
Year of unveiling | ||
Unveiling details | Thursday 1 July 1909 | |
Road | Every Street / Horsefair Street | |
Precise Location | Town Hall Square, at the corner of Every Street and Horsefair Street | |
A to Z Ref | p.4, D4(1) | |
OS Ref | SK589044 | |
Postcode | LE1 | |
Work is | Extant | |
Listing Status | II | |
Duty of Care | Leicester City Council | |
Commissioned by | Leicestershire South African War Memorial Committee | |
Notes | ||
Large central pedestal joined by lower walls to side pedestals on single step, all in granite. On each pedestal a bronze group or statue. On front face of each flanking pedestal one bronze name plaque bearing a single column of names. On front face of each wall one bronze name plaque divided into 6 columns separated by vertical framing elements. On central pedestal an upper plaque with names of officers, below this a plaque of a similar format to those on the walls but in 4 columns. Surmounting the pedestals, symbolic groups in bronze with dark, chocolate-brown patination, comprising nude and semi-nude female figures. On the left, "Grief" as two female figures, one collapsed on the ground, her hands clasped before her, the other kneeling, her left arm thrust upwards imploringly; in the centre, a kneeling figure of "Peace", holding out an olive branch, symbolic of peace, in her right hand, and holding back in her left hand a sheathed sword, symbolic of war. The sculptor explained: 'Peace, as the desired ultimate end of war, rather than Victory, as its immediate conclusion, was seen as the more suitable motive for a memorial.' (1) On the right, 'the side of the sword', two female figures, one wielding a sword, suggestive of the title of the group, "War". | ||
circa | ||
raw year | ||
Condition | Good | |
At risk | Not at risk | |
Inscriptions | carved into the stone (i) central group pedestal, front face: - top: GLORY TO GOD: HONOUR TO THE DEAD / PEACE AFTER VICTORY - bottom: TO THE MEMORY OF THE LEICESTERSHIRE MEN / WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY / SOUTH AFRICA 1899 - 1902 (ii) left group pedestal, front face: GRIEF (iii) right group pedestal, front face: WAR | |
Signatures | on bronze base of central group: - on lefthand face: SINGERS FOUNDERS - on righthand face: CROSLAND McCLURE Fecit on lefthand face of bronze base of lefthand group and righthand face of bronze base of righthand group, Crosland McClure's monogram. | |
Elements
Element Details
Part of work | Material | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|
Left group (Grief] | bronze | h. 132cm; w. 67cm; d. 63cm |
Central figure (Peace) | bronze | h. 135cm; w. 220cm; d. 110cm |
Right group (War) | bronze | h. 86cm; w. 133cm; d. 68cm |
Left pedestal | grey granite | h. 150cm; w. 55cm; d. 131cm |
Central pedestal | grey granite | h. 189cm; w. 135cm; d. 90cm |
Right pedestal | grey granite | h. 150cm; w. 55cm; d. 131cm |
left linking wall | grey granite | h. 134cm; w. 184cm; d. 48.5cm |
right linking wall | grey granite | h. 134cm; w. 184cm; d. 48.5cm |
landing | grey granite | h. 19cm; w. 620cm; d (to linking walls) 78.5cm |
Assessment of Condition
Surface Character: nothing recordedStructural Condition
Structural Condition | Comment |
|---|---|
None | The central and righthand name plaques were removed towards the end of 1997 and re-fixed in early 1998 |
